Legend Of Zelda - Running out of time
by Archaeologist of Humanity
Summary: No-one told Saria that one day she would be counted on to save Hyrule. Link, the hero for many, many, years has now gone on a journey to the land of Termina. Without a reasonable return in sight, Hyrule is plunged into a very chaotic war by Ganondorf...
1. No-Where to run

Summary:- No-one told Saria that one day she would be counted on to save Hyrule. Link, the hero for many, many, years has now gone on a journey to the land of Termina. Without a reasonable return in sight, Hyrule is plunged into a very chaotic war by Ganondorf (Who has broken the seal of the Sacred Realm), in which no-one is likely to survive...Including the Sage's..

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Chapter 1:- No-where to run

Rauru looked between each of the other sage's. "I have grave news for you all..." He looked down as Princess Zelda looked at him with a look of confusion. "What is it Rauru? I thought nothing bad was going to happen to us? We sealed the evil leader in the void of the Sacred Realm with the Hero of Time's help didn't we?" He shook his head. "No Zelda... We've been attacked. Yesterday, Ganondorf managed to break the seal of the Sacred Realm thereby meaning, that none of us are likely to escape much less surive."

Saria tiled her head to the side. "What about Link? Can't we send him a message to come back?" She asked innocently. Rauru sighed as he rose his head to meet Saria's green eyed gaze. Before he could say anything, Navi came flying through the door of the Temple of Light and straight to where the Sage's were.

Zelda's eyes widened as did everyone else's, including Rauru's, "Navi? We thought you were never going to come back?" Zelda whispered.

Navi, within a matter of seconds flew above each and everyone of them in sequence, finally settling on top of Saria's head. "There's no way that is ever going to happen" Saria looked up at the fairy above her head. "I don't know quite how it happened... I followed the other two fairy's that were with Link when he defeated Majora... They led me straight to Link...Or rather his lifeless body"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the entire temple where completely shocked, the hylian knight who had been hidden in Kokiri forest for all those years had died?

Zelda shook her head. "How did this happen?" Navi flew gently off of Saria's head. "Tatl, one of the fairies that Link trusted, witnessed the Skull Kid Majora putting something on him that looked like a powder, when I got to his side...It was far to late. I tried to help get him back, but he was dead, not even moving. I raced back here as fast as I could. Ganondorf has obliterated much of Hyrule... He's even knocked the Master Sword off of the Pedestal that was in the Temple of Time. He wasn't able to touch it, but, he blasted the ark underneath it. Hence why."

Rauru nodded his head. "Why we felt a massive change in the gateway..."

They all heard evil laughing. "Is that why I was able to get as well?" Everyone in the room turned and suddenly were full of fear, standing in the doorway to the Chamber of Sage's, was none other then Ganondorf himself. He was standing with his arms folded. He had a very bright dark blade on his belt on his right side.

Princess Zelda shook her head several times. "No! There's no way I am going to let you get away with any of this!" She pulled out her light arrows and fired them at Ganondorf several times.

Ganondorf began laughing as the light arrows, near enough, faded and became nothing. "You honestly believe that you can stop me?" He rose his right hand, Zelda and everyone else gasped, as there was the complete Triforce glowing on the back of his right hand.

Darunia had, had quite enough by this point, he ran towards Ganondorf with both of his massive hands drawn. "You will never get away with this! Never!"

Ganondorf began laughing again, he lowered his right hand and rose it in one swift motion, this motion made Darunia hit the floor and then hit the ceiling. Not of his own accord.

Rauru looked between the other six Sage's, who were trying desperately, to think of something to do against Ganondorf."Sage's! We have no choice! We must get to Hyrule! It is our only chance!"

Princess Zelda looked back to Rauru. "Let's get moving!" She nodded at each one as they made a break for the portal to Hyrule.

Ganondorf shook his head a few times. "Uh-uh uh!" He smirked as he pulled back his right hand and threw it towards Saria. A massive golden covered blast threaded through with red crimson colours emited from his hand. This was the Triforce's power. They all knew it...It was far to powerful. You couldn't even avoid or dodge it, it was just, far to strong.

Saria looked to Zelda as Zelda spun around and tried to get in the way of the blast...With no success.

Darunia looked on in horror as the blast collided with Saria. Sending the poor forest girl through the portal as she scream in pain.

Darunia lunged at Ganondorf and pushed both of the to the ground. "You are going to regret that Ganondorf! Because of what you just done! Every last second of it!"

Ganondorf laughed yet again. This was bad...For everyone not just them in the Chamber of Sage's but for Hyrule and the former Sacred Realm. Because the evil king had the Triforce for the second time, there was next to no way, that any of them were going to survive round 2. Yet, they held onto hope, which will forever and always be the most powerful emotion on whichever plain you are on.

[Kokiri Forest]

Saria's pain filled scream had been heard by everyone of the Kokiri Forest. They had raced towards the portal in front of the now medium sized Deku Tree Sprout.

Mido and the others saw Saria coming through the portal which threated to close at any moment. Mido's eyes widened as he saw just what shape she was in.

Saria landed on the ground with a loud thud, as she attempted to get up however, all of them (Including the Deku Tree Sprout) were horrified to see that...What they thought was not possible...They saw that she was bleeding...quite a lot.

Mido raced over to her side. "Saria!" Everyone else were told by the Deku Tree Sprout that they should not get to close, they needed to give Saria air, now more then ever. He managed to turn her over and laid her head in his lap. "Wh-What happened to you Saria?" He began to stroke her hair as a sign of comfort for her.

Saria opened her mouth slightly as to not let any blood out from there either. "G-G...Ganon...Dorf...is...He's...Back..." She managed to whisper as every one of them were stunned.

Mido leaned closer to her face. "I thought Link was coming back?" He whispered. Saria shook her head. "Link...Is dead..." She whispered.

Before any of them could ask anymore, the Deku Tree Sprout cleared his throat, making all of them (besides Saria) look at him. "That's enough. If she stays here, next to me, I will make sure she doesn't die. Mido, you have to give her time to recover, I know you hate to leave her side like this but its a simple choice. Do you allow her to die, or do you give her air and time to recover, knowing full well that Link is now dead?"

Mido nodded very slowly. "I...I understand." He laid Saria very gently on the grass near the Deku Tree Sprout and all of them went back to their homes.  
Saria looked at the sprout, even through every single part of her body was screaming at her not to, as she had experienced loads upon loads of damage. "Thank you." She winced "Deku Sprout"

The Sprout shook his arms a few times as his healing abilites slowly floated down to her. "You are welcome Saria. Now, please, let every fiber of your body relax. You will not die here. I guarantee it." Saria nodded very slowly. "Okay..." She fell asleep near enough as soon as she said those words.

The Sprout waited for about 10 minutes to make sure Saria was asleep. When he heard her very light snoring he stopped moving his arms. "She's in a much more worse state then you were when I revived you...Link"

The boy of legend stepped out of the darkness of the dead Deku Tree behind the Sprout. The former Deku Tree had been rotting away, but thankfully, it had shielded Link from being seen by anyone that looked at Saria.

Link walked up to the Sprout, looking at Saria several times as he did so, he turned his gaze to the Sprout. "If it hadn't been for you, I really would have been dead, then there would be no hope for Hyrule"

The Sprout rustled its leaves. "That's correct. Now that Ganondorf has the complete Triforce there is next to nothing stopping him from ruling this entire world. That includes the Sacred Realm as well unfortunately."

Link tilted his head in curiousity/confusion. "How did he manage to get to the Sacred Realm? Moreso how did he manage to almost kill Saria?"

"Do you remember the Master Sword was the final key?"

Link nodded. "Yes I do."

"Ganondorf managed, somehow, to knock the sword off of the pedestal. He fired a very powerful blast at the area beneath the pedestal." Link's eyes widened. "What in Hylia's name?"

"Yes. He broke through into the Chamber of Sage's. He has killed all the other 5 Sage's"

Link frowed his eyebrows. "What about Zelda?"

"That's even harder to discuss..."


	2. Termina:- The Only Escape Route

Chapter 2:- An escape route

Link looked around for a few minutes, hoping that Ganondorf, or any of the Kokiri people were around.

"Tell me." Link whispered as he approached Saria, then he knelt down in order to get an accurate idea, of how much she was hurt.

"Princess Zelda has been heavily injured, and to top that off, Ganondorf has taken control of the entire Triforce while he did so."

Link's eyes widened as he looked to the Sprout. "He. He's actually got the entire Triforce?"

"Yes. He broke the seal as soon as the piece of Courage floated a little to close to the edge of Hyrule."

Link looked down at Saria. "Shit. He must've got the piece of Courage thanks to me. I left it with Zelda at Hyrule Castle!" He looked down at himself. "We can't win against such an unslaught...I have got to get Saria out of here!"

"Where do you indeed to take her?"

Link stood up as he kept his gaze on Saria. "There's only one place that I can think of right now. Termina."

"Are you crazy!? Termina still has Majora there! She would get killed, and you, would never be revived again! I can't use my power for another time! I nearly burnt myself out trying to get you to safety!"

Link sighed. "Where else do you suggest? Hyrule is a complete warzone and the Sacred Realm, if you can call it that, is covered in monsters. I have no other choice, if I leave Saria here which I won't do, then Termina is the only place that we have got left. I have made powerful allies there, some of which are gods, perhaps they can help." Link looked up at the Sprout with determination in his eyes.

"Right now though I'll have to hide Saria with me until we have an opportunity to get both the Master Sword, in which I can battle toe-to-toe with Ganondorf, then somehow take the Triforce away from him by force." He looked down again. "Problem is now he has the ultimate power of the Triforce under his command...I would be killed before I could get close."

He looked around, then down to Saria again, he then looked to the Sprout. "Added to the fact that Zelda has probably been captured... We haven't really got a hope in hell."

"On the countrary." Link's head shot up to the Sprout. "We have one advantage. Saria." Link blinked in confusion. "Saria?" He looked back to his battered friend. "She may be a Sage but how, can she, help me? The Triforce is still in."

"That's where Saria comes in. She's got a telepathic link to the Triforce. Only when Ganondorf isn't concerntrating on it, also providing Saria wants to, she can talk to the Triforce in her mind. Saria is the only link to convinceing the Triforce to break away from him. That's when you take it before Ganondorf can, then use its power alongside the Master Sword's power, to completely destroy him and lead us all into the golden age which we were promised so far long ago."

Link smiled at Saria's sleeping, yet heavily injured body, he was grateful that she had survived Ganondorf's attack because without her...This war would have been easily won by Ganondorf.

"There is a disadvantage with this though." In a second Link had returned his gaze to the Sprout. "With everything that is advantageous, there is almost always a disadvantage, althought this particular difficulty will be harder on her then it is on you."

Link frowed his eyebrows again. "Why?"

"She will age like you. She will grow up in other words. When she leaves Kokiri Forest and enters Termina... She will no longer be protected by me. I have a good protective shield as it is, but, when she leaves this forest will be...Open to attack by Ganondorf and his forces. If he hears that you have gone to Termina, from anyone, then he will inform Majora and you will be killed most likely."

Link's eyes widened. "That's one heavy price to pay for helping me. Will she die like everyone else though?"

"Not if you get her back to this forest after you both defeat Ganondorf. If you don't..."

Link nodded. "Don't finish that sentence. I know what I have to do." He slowly picked his best friend up, taking care not to hurt her, if he could.

Link turned around to walk out of the Kokiri forest.

"Link. There's one more thing that I think you should know."

Link glanced back at the Sprout.

"Saria has not just felt like a best friend to you. I remember her telling me exactly how she feels about you."

Link's eyes looked confused. "What is that exactly?"

"In one word? She loves you."

Link's eyes widened and he almost dropped Saria, but he kept his stance, despite being told that his best friend indeed loved him...From the sounds of it, at an early age, he smiled as he nodded at the Sprout.

"Don't worry. I won't do anything to her. I'll keep her safe if anything." Link whispered as he walked out of the area where the Sprout was.

[On the other side of where the Deku Tree Sprout is]

Mido was the first to turn around at the sound of someone walking towards all of them. "Saria?" His eyes widened as did everyone else's when they saw someone who they thought would never appear again. Link stopped walking as soon as he heard Mido's voice.  
"Hey Mido."

Mido's eyes stayed widened as he slowly stepped towards Link, everyone of the entire forest were whisper quiet, as he stopped in front of Link who was carrying the heavily hurt Saria who from the looks of it had just about begun to breath normally.

"L-L-Link?" Mido whispered. "How...When."

Link nodded at him with a serious look on his face. "I returned last night. I was behind one of the original Deku Tree's roots. I saw what happened with Saria."

Mido nodded at him although he felt extremely angry. "Why didn't you do anything? She was about to die!" Link's serious gaze locked onto Mido's angry ones. "Do you want to wake her up? In the state she's in?" He whispered, the vemon in his voice was thick, so Mido steppd back.

Mido nodded again as he gestured for Link to walk ahead. "Sorry Link." He whispered. "I'm just upset that she got hurt this badly."

Link began to walk towards the exit to the forest while Mido followed next to him. "As am I Mido. I never thought this would happen, in fact, I thought that Hyrule would be perminately safe."

Mido looked to Link. "I had hoped that myself. Wait. Where are you taking Saria?" Link sighed.

"I have to take her to Termina with me. There's no chance she'll survive here in Hyrule. If I went head to head with Ganondorf as I am now...I wouldn't last five minutes."

Mido was slightly confused then his shock came into his eyes. "If you take her out of the forest...She will die won't she?" Link shook his head. "No. That will not happen. Not while I am alive anyway."

Mido was still stunned. "What will happen then? If she won't die what will happen to her?" Link stopped walking. "She will." He sighed. "She will no longer had the protection over her age. In short? She will age like me. If I get her to the forest after defeating Ganondorf I am sure she will return to her original age. Also she will return to being the Forest Sage."

Mido sighed. "You can't do this alone you realise?" Link looked down to the sleeping Saria. "What choice do I have?"

Mido slowly lowered his head. "Okay. Good luck, but, look after Saria. If I hear you did anything bad to her. I will be the last person you see here in Hyrule. Understand?" Link nodded. "Thank you Mido." Mido nodded although he felt a tear fall down his face. "Don't mention it."

[The Entrance To Termina]

On the route Link had, had an astounding amount of luck. He had not had to dodge any of the huge forces that Ganondorf controlled, in fact, he noticed that the Hylian soldiers were holding their ground outside the walls of Castle Market Town. Link knew, however, that they wouldn't be able to hold the line for long. He knew that if he intervened without the Master Sword he would be annihalated and Saria would be killed as well as Zelda. That's if she hadn't been killed yet.

Upon reaching the portal that led to Termina he looked down to Saria once again. "Here we go Saria. Just keep breathing and hang on. Don't open your eyes. I will protect you. No matter what." He whispered as he saw Saria trying to move in his arms, she was starting to wake up, which Link didn't want her to do yet so he gently pressed his head onto her's as he closed his eyes.

"Who..."

Link smiled and opened his eyes as he returned to his original posture. "No time for questions Saria. Please don't open your eyes. If you do, the blinding light from the portal, will burn your eyes and you'll never be able to see again."

Saria tried to nod but failed. "Okay. Can you tell me your name though? You have strong arms. Almost like my best friend had."

Link slowly crossed the portal to Termina. "Who was your best friend? What was his name?" He slowly laid her on the ground next to a strong tree, leaning her up against it, as he knelt on one knee in front of her and smiled warmly.

Saria slowly felt her body return its ability to move again. "His name was Link. He was the Hero of Time... He nearly defeated Ganondorf."

Link chuckled as he thought about how he should tell her that he had returned. He thought for several minutes and then a very positive thought entered his head. "When I tell you my name. I would like you to open your eyes okay?"

Saria nodded, feeling pain, which was slowly going away. "Okay. Who are you?"

Link slowly placed his right hand behind her head. "Link." He whispered, trying to keep his voice as low as possible, so as to not blow out Saria's delicate ears.

Saria's eyes opened in a shot, her vision was slightly fuzzy but she could see Link, the person who she had been told was dead. Her eye's watered as she saw him smiling. "Link?"

Link nodded his head. "Good to see you back to normal Saria, I'll admit for a moment I didn't think you would pull through, but you did. You are one heck of an amazing girl. You know that right?"

Saria smiled and within seconds it had turned into a great big smile. "Link!" She managed to half shout as he pulled her into a soft yet warm hug. "I've missed you Link." She whispered. "Don't leave me again. Please don't."

Link smiled as he felt tears of his own cloud his vision. "I don't intend to." He whispered into her ear. As he pulled away, to give her more air, he slowly placed his hand on her cheek. "Link. I don't think I have ever told you this."

Link's smile stayed true as he nodded. "What did you never tell me?" Saria smiled as she tried to hide her smile but failed. "I...I love you Link. I never said so, because I was terrified that you would reject me, despite being the Hero of Time."

Link looked up for a second then back to her as she turned her head away. "You probably think I'm sad don't you?"

Link smiled. "On the contrary." He slowly turned her head with both of his hands towards him. "You don't know the half of it." He whispered as he slowly yet surely kissed his long time friend. Saria's whole face lit up bright red, which made her seem like a plant that had just bloomed, her eyes were wide as she felt Link's lips press against her's.

'No matter how hard I have to fight...' Link thought to himself as he pulled away from Saria, the need for air was rather annoying, otherwise he would have kissed her all day. 'I will never give in to Ganondorf. No matter what. Its not just the need to protect Hyrule, it certainly isn't the need to protect the Sacred Realm, I have to protect the most precious person in my life now...'

Saria smiled at him as she began to fall asleep. "I love you Link." Link nodded. "I love you too Saria. Get some sleep. We've got a long walk tomorrow." She nodded as she fell asleep.

Link slowly stood up and looked around, satisfied that no-one was watching and nothing was going to attack, he laid down next to Saria and smiled as he felt his own tiredness set in.

'I will protect you Saria. No matter how hurt I get, or how difficult the fight gets, I will protect you. You have been my best friend for countless years now. I will never allow Ganondorf to hurt you. He'll have to get through me first...'

Upon finishing his thoughts he fell asleep. Unlike Saria who was in a very deep sleep as he could hear her snoring that was soft yet loud he slept lightly. He was thankful for this, as it gave him an edge over the monsters of all three lands, if anything or anyone approached them while they slept he would know about it within minutes. 


End file.
